


A Matter of Choice

by thelotuseaters



Series: Between Fire and Sea [2]
Category: Avatar: Legend of Korra
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/F, Finally the happy ending, Fire Nation Kya, Fluff and Angst, Yes there's a baby
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-05
Updated: 2020-12-05
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:56:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27899464
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thelotuseaters/pseuds/thelotuseaters
Summary: A Kya/Izumi story.Final chapter: Izumi goes to The Southern Water Tribe looking for Kya.
Relationships: Izumi/Kya II (Avatar)
Series: Between Fire and Sea [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2030128
Comments: 12
Kudos: 21





	A Matter of Choice

**Author's Note:**

> \- They deserve a happy ending like this one, I make the rules!
> 
> \- I hope y'all enjoy it.

How does life repeat itself dressed like a nightmare?

The French had a word for this, a _déjà vu_ , which is when one feels as if they had lived through the present situation before. Literally, _déjà vu_ stands for 'already seen'. Now Kya was one hundred percent certain that she had seen this all before, that she was going through the same dreadful moment one more time.

Again, just like it happened four months ago, a letter with a red seal of The Fire Nation was delivered to her house. But this time, Kya didn't spend her entire day staring at the piece of paper; quite the opposite, she tossed it into a trash can and pretended she hadn't received a letter at all.

_Not this time, Izumi. And not ever again._

She thought, angrily.

Of course Kya was angry and upset, and all those words that could translate her disappointment. Izumi had broken her once again, especially when she was being exposed, showing the vulnerability she rarely used to show. Kya, deep down, knew that Izumi loved her back, but her inner selfishness forced her to demand an answer from the Fire Lord. She didn't know if that letter was the answer she craved for or if it was written by Izumi herself, but it was rather late now.

Kya, after ignoring the possible response from Izumi, carried on as if nothing had happened. She went to work, she paid a visit to a friend, and then to her mother. She cleaned her house, received a brief call from Republic City, took a bath, brushed her silver hair with serenity. Kya also read a book, took a quick nap before going back to work, giving a start to her day all over again. And Kya also forgot about the letter.

Or at least that's what she believed.

* * *

_Four weeks earlier._

"Would it be odd if I tell you I knew, somehow?", Akira said.

He looked up, his eyes seemed heavy, probably because of the drink he was having. Akira wasn't drunk, but something about him was off anyhow. He wasn't joking or laughing, not that he had reasons to, but that was one of the few times Izumi had seen him staring at the wall with almost nothing to say. The other times were when his parents died.

"Knew what, exactly?", Izumi asked. She stood in front of him with her arms crossed and deep concern in her eyes.

It was true that, as much as Akira had tried, they couldn't avoid this conversation any longer. It took them forty-eight hours after Kya's departure, but they were finally getting to it. With reluctance, sorrow, and a piece of mourning as they slowly watched their thirty-six years of marriage fall apart.

"That she was different", he took a quick and rough sip of his drink. "The way she looks at you… It's not how a friend looks at a friend."

"And why did you never say anything?", Izumi arched an eyebrow.

"Who am I to do that?", he laughed, quite sadly though. "And would you tell me?"

"I would tell you the story."

"And which is?"

Izumi stayed silent for a moment, as if in waiting for the memories to come to her, and they did. All of them had Kya's face as the protagonist.

"Kya and I have known each other forever, our parents were close friends, you know that", Akira nodded and she continued. "Growing up, we were nothing but friends. She was my favorite one because I hated her and loved her at the same time. Back then, I didn't know what that meant, I was young and too focused on my duties and studies to think about my feelings. But then…", here, she paused.

"Then…?", Akira said.

"Then, when I turned nineteen, Bumi asked me for a kiss…"

"Wait, Bumi? Why him?", Akira smiled, sincerely for the first time that night.

"He said he liked me and wanted me to be his first kiss", Izumi shrugged. "I said 'yes' and that was my first kiss too. Tragic really, because it didn't mean anything to me."

"Because of Kya…", Akira finished for her.

"Because of Kya…", Izumi repeated. "When she found out, I was ignored for a whole week until I confronted her about it. She said she was mad because I kissed Bumi when _she_ was the one truly in love with me", the Fire Lord smirked, a little flushed.

She looked at Akira, who seemed lost in his thoughts, even forgetting about the drink in his hand. Izumi adjusted her glasses, which was a sign of flutter, a nervous move Izumi developed when she was in her teen years. But to her final relief, he spoke.

"I think I owe you an apology", he said 

Izumi seemed beyond insulted. "Whatever for?"

"For stealing your life away from you, stealing the life you should've had and not the life they expected you to have", his voice was a bit loud and firm, Akira seemed more like himself now.

"Akira, if there's someone to blame, it's me. I chose to marry you, as a result, I made Kya suffer. Now I'm making _you_ suffer, and the children would…"

Izumi was cut off by Akira, who took her hand and looked her straight in the eye.

"I will be fine, Izumi. So will the children", he squeezed her hand slightly. "But you're putting others before you again. What about your suffering? What about what you want?"

She looked at him and her eyes, somehow, spoke for her. _I want Kya_ , she thought. But Izumi had to say it out loud, too.

"I want her", and there it was.

She received a warm smile as an answer, along with a tight hug. "Then you must tell her, and it has to be face to face", he laughed.

"Thank you, Akira."

* * *

_Present days._

The side effects of one plus one is two.

Kya looked affectionately at the little boy sitting in front of her, sometimes she would smile to make him feel safe, receiving only twisted expressions of pain as a response. He had broken his right arm that morning while playing with the other kids, and Kya, being listed as the second — Katara being the first — best healer of The Water Tribe (North and South), was the one person his mother first called for.

The boy grimaced in pain as Kya bended water to make pressure on the injured spot. But then his face seemed to relax, the pain was finally giving him a break.

"Are you left-handed?", she smiled at him. The boy just nodded. "Oh, not only are you incredibly smart but also damn lucky. You still have your left side as good as new", Kya winked at him.

"Thank you", he said shyly, almost as a whisper. "But my mother won't let me play for a month now."

Kya pouted as she looked at his sad little face.

"I broke my arm too when I was your age, the left one, but I barely remember anything. This month will end in a blink of an eye, you'll see", she patted him on the shoulder.

"Thank you, Master Kya", the boy smiled at her.

"It's just Kya to you."

She watched him leave, holding hands with his mother, with a satisfied look on her face. And just when she was about to call for another patient, something caught her attention. It was a shadow in the shape of a ship, slowly crossing the floor of the nursery, but that was not the end of it. There was an enormous buzz outside.

Kya looked through the window and saw vessels of The Fire Nation Navy arriving at their harbor. Her eyes went wide as she noticed that the Fire Lord's royal ship was one of them, carrying the nation's flag and probably Izumi herself.

" _Is it really her_?", people murmured on the streets.

" _Come see this, it's the Fire Lord_ ", an old woman said to her family.

Clearly, the entire Southern Water Tribe came out of their homes to greet the Fire Lord. And apparently, Kya was the only one who wasn't excited about this. At first, she remembered about the letter she threw away, then she panicked, wondering if whatever was in that letter explained Izumi's sudden visit to the tribe. Of course, the Glacier Spirits Festival was coming, due to start in a week, but was the Fire Lord really there for that reason? _Could it be for me_? Kya wondered. _No, it couldn't possibly_.

Several questions surrounded her mind, but they were quickly gone when Izumi stepped out and everybody cheered for her. It was ironic, really, how only one hundred years ago The Fire Nation was feared and hated by The Water Tribes, but now they adored and cheered for Izumi. They even liked her more than Lord Zuko.

Kya's inner self agreed with all this worship, for Izumi truly deserved it — she looked beautiful —, but her wound was still quite open to ignore everything that happened and smile at the Fire Lord as they were doing. Kya was right behind the crowd, but Izumi managed to find her anyway, taking Kya's breath away just a little. Amber eyes were locked on piercing blue ones and they ended up being lost in time again. They had to stop doing that.

It was impossible, for Kya, not to remember what happened, and that made her turn back and walk away, not caring whether she left Izumi disappointed or not.

But that was a game she was not winning.

As if running from the police, Kya locked herself inside the igloo, only to be face to face with that letter again. The paper was a bit wrinkled, but it wasn't completely ruined. She stared at it just like she did months ago, but now the time seemed to go faster and Kya was getting more frightened by it.

 _Now this time, Izumi. And not ever again_.

She knew this was untrue, but still, Kya couldn't convince herself to read that letter. Something had to be more convincing than her, and perhaps this something was, now, at the door. Only two knocks were heard and Kya knew who it was, then thought she was quite impressed by how Izumi managed to escape from her faithful crowd and get to Kya's home without being followed by everyone, given that Kya couldn't hear anything coming from outside.

Another knock and this time Izumi spoke. "Kya, please. It's freezing here!"

She opened the door quite fiercely and felt a brief, strong rush of wind making its way inside her living room, which was followed by the Fire Lord. Izumi was pale, probably caused by the cold, her lips were rigidly held together and she said nothing.

Kya rolled her eyes, figuring she would have to start then. "What are you doing here?", she crossed her arms. "And by here I mean everywhere, not only in my house."

"I understand it seems too much. But I can't do anything, I can't go anywhere without being followed and making a fuss", Izumi apologized and Kya knew it came from the heart. Izumi was the last person who would agree with a 'fuss'.

"Right, but you didn't answer my question."

Izumi paused for a moment, she opened her mouth but closed it. Her mind seemed to be working really hard to come up with the words she was about to say.

"I'm here because of you", she let these words wander for a few seconds, waiting for Kya to take them in. Her response, to Izumi's disappointment, was a break of eye contact. "I even sent you a letter", at that, Izumi looked down only to find said letter on the table, still unopened. "You didn't read it…"

"No, I did not", Kya said firmly. "I thought you had nothing to say to me."

She was angry, and even though Izumi was with her eyes closed now, Kya was sure the Fire Lord could feel her anger from where she was standing.

"But I do, I have many things to say to you", now, she found Kya's blue eyes again. "I'm sorry for not reacting, I'm sorry for letting you go, I'm sorry for making you suffer. And I know that my apology isn't enough, it won't erase the past, but I came all the way here to say it to you."

"Say what?", Kya tried to seem calm, but inside she was a complete mess.

"That I love you", Izumi smiled, genuinely so. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I'm tired of pretending I am satisfied, I'm not. You're the only one who can make me feel satisfied."

By the end of it, Izumi seemed breathless, but she pulled herself together way faster than Kya could notice. For she was deeply lost in her thoughts, being carried by her emotions, which were now spread across the table, the floor and the stairs. _Then have me now_ , she wanted to say, shamelessly staring at Izumi's lips during the whole thing.

But she couldn't. Pride, a huge pride wouldn't let her do this, at least not now. So Kya changed the subject as if Izumi had said nothing of importance.

"What about Akira?", she asked.

At first, Izumi frowned. She was visibly caught off guard by that question, but she answered it anyway.

"Akira knows I love him, that's why I had to file for divorce. I talked to him before I decided to come here. Then I told the whole story …"

"And what did he say?"

"That I should tell you I want you and no one else", Izumi, still looking directly at Kya, tried to reduce the space between them, but Kya took a step back. Izumi, then, looked at her with pained eyes.

"And what about the children?", Kya asked.

Izumi took a few seconds to answer this one, it was complicated at the moment. "They know, but let's not worry about them now."

It seemed impossible for them not to worry about such things and, as for Kya, it was even harder to forget. "I'm sorry, Izumi. But it's too late", Kya said as she passed by the Fire Lord, not daring to look at her face, to reach for the door.

"Kya…"

"I meant it and I insist you go now."

"Right…", the Fire Lord sighed heavily. "We shall leave in the morning then."

And before leaving, Izumi looked at her one more time. She didn't say anything, she made no attempts to touch Kya, but the look Izumi gave her was probably going to haunt her forever.

Kya leaned against the door and let her body fall to the ground.

She knew it was nothing but selfishness, the way she pushed Izumi away, but she thought it would bring her some relief to have this morbid revenge. It did not, of course. Therefore, she cried, and cried, but not for too long. Her eyes found the letter still in its untouchable nature on the table. _Should I_? She wondered, but the answer didn't really matter, because she would read it anyway.

_'Dearest,_

_It is impossible for me to ask you not to be angry. You are probably thinking that it was harsh of me to say nothing, but I hope you understand that, at that moment, I had no choice. The decisions I made throughout my life had negatively affected you, I am aware of that, and I must not say that I am sorry, although I am. For I am also aware that apologizing is not enough, but I am willing to make it up to you._

_I must insist that we meet next month, there. I have planned everything, a ship is due to leave our harbor to go to the Southern Water Tribe, for reasons that I had to convince them are official, of great importance for our nation._

_And it is true. It is of great importance for me to see you. Please, let me see you. Please, have me again._

_Izumi_.'

Kya lost count of how many times she read that letter, admiring Izumi's handwriting and signature. _Please, let me see you. Please, have me again_. Those words wandered around her brain as a distant, but loving memory. Then, it was already night and Kya fell asleep on the table.

Rain, the sound of rain woke her up. It was early in the morning and Kya, opening her eyes with some difficulty, realized she had fallen asleep holding Izumi's letter. She looked at the piece of paper as if it was on fire because the sudden remembrance of what Izumi told her the day before startled her.

 _If what Izumi said is true, then she's about to leave_ , she presumed.

Without thinking twice, Kya stormed out of her house, choosing to ignore the heavy rain that was falling outside. She saw a few guards and the rest of the crew preparing the ship for the departure. Every muscle of her body tensed up, caused by the mere possibility of Izumi leaving her for good. Kya, then, rushed up to the ship, practically running.

"I need to speak to the Fire Lord", she said between breaths.

"Who are you, ma'am?", one of the guards asked.

"Does it matter? It's urgent, I must speak to her", Kya tried to take a step forward, but the guard got in her way.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. But the Fire Lord isn't here."

Kya frowned. "What? Where's she then?"

"I'm afraid I can't give you this informat…"

Although Kya was a waterbender, she felt her blood boil as lava, trying very hard not to throw daggers made of ice at that man. But Izumi would be very much displeased by an attitude like that, so she closed her eyes and took a deep breath before saying…

"Fuck you."

She turned around and left with just one thing in mind, finding Izumi. She didn't need that guard after all, Kya knew damn well where to find the woman. When Lord Zuko used to visit The Southern Water Tribe, he would stay at one of the chief's quarters.

Crossing the whole town under an endless rain, Kya knew she would find Izumi in the very same place. And of course she was right, since there were two guards at the door, that could only mean that Izumi was inside. They tried to stop Kya, but she completely ignored them and stormed into the Fire Lord's private room, with wet clothes and hair. The whole package.

Izumi, of course, was present, and seemed just a bit shocked by Kya's unannounced entrance, not by the fact that she was standing right there, right now. She was not alone though, there were three members of the council with her, all of them equally staring at Kya in confusion. 

"Leave us", Izumi demanded. Telling by Kya's face and that she was also physically unsettled, they had to be alone for this.

"Yes, my Lord", all three of them, along with the guards, bowed before leaving the place immediately.

When they were finally alone, Izumi rose to her feet and her hand quickly reached for Kya's arm, stroking it gently. "What happened? Are you alright?", her voice gave it away that she was truly worried.

"I read the letter", Kya whispered. Izumi only heard the words because she was only a few inches away from the other woman.

"And?"

"Don't leave, please", Kya didn't sound desperate, but she took Izumi's hand as she spoke, showing that her request was very much real. "Don't leave", after saying these last words, she pressed her forehead against Izumi's and they stayed like this. Silently for a moment.

"I won't go anywhere if you want me here", Izumi said. But she barely finished her sentence and Kya's mouth was already on hers, without that much eagerness from months ago, but with the same passion. Their lips kept lingering on one another, Izumi feeling the salty taste of Kya's mouth and Kya feeling her sweet and patient one.

Kya was the one who paused the kiss, she still had something to say.

"I will have you and I want you to have me", she said breathlessly. "Would you?"

Izumi brought her mouth close to Kya's ear. "Yes", she whispered. The only answer she needed.

* * *

All the ways to be sealed in red.

Kya wrapped the robe around her body and stepped out of the hot shower she was in desperate need of, after getting caught in the rain earlier that day. Kya dried her hair with a towel as she watched Izumi still in bed, without her official robe, without her crown, but very much Fire Lord still.

She had her glasses on, apparently concentrated on the pile of papers they delivered to her room while Kya was still in the shower. Although she looked breathtaking with her own white robe that was slightly falling over her left shoulder, showing a fragment of skin that the Fire Lord would never show in public, Kya felt bothered. She hated the fact that Izumi never had a day off, she was always working, signing papers and shaking people's hands.

In other circumstances, Kya would feel guilty for being selfish, desiring the Fire Lord only for herself, but not right now. The throne, politics and the nations had her all for themselves for far too long, now it was her turn.

"I want to show you something", Kya said as she stood in front of the bed.

"Yes?", Izumi said without taking her eyes off the papers.

Kya rolled her eyes. "You have to look for me to show you."

"Right, I'm looking", Izumi looked up and patiently placed her work aside.

Kya had that typical smirk on her face that Izumi knew very well, it meant trouble. She arched an eyebrow as she watched Kya open her robe with very patient hands, and then letting it fall on the ground, sliding over her exposed body.

The temptation to look down was an obstacle Izumi had to resist, but she managed it gracefully, keeping her eyes locked on Kya's the whole time. Kya, then, laughed at her and laughed loudly.

"You know what I most like about you?", Kya asked, now getting closer to Izumi's side of the bed.

"My unquestionable sense of humor?"

"No…"

"My ability to dance?"

Here, Kya chuckled. "No… It's the fact that I'm naked in front of you, and yet you choose to look me in the face", Kya used her best husky voice as she sat on Izumi's lap.

"I like your face", Izumi placed her both hands on Kya's thighs.

"Do you? And what else?"

Now, finally Izumi looked down. Using her eyes to slowly explore every inch of Kya's body, while feeling her heart beating faster as the seconds passed by.

"I like it here", Izumi pressed her hand against the heat between Kya's thighs, who let escape a soft moan.

"That's interesting", Kya said and without much patience, kissed Izumi.

Their second round lasted for hours on end until they collapsed on the bed, trying to recover their breaths. Kya looked at Izumi from the corner of an eye and saw the Fire Lord covering her eyes, with her chest going up and down fiercely because of her heavy breath. Kya took her hand and placed a soft kiss on it.

Izumi, smiling at the gesture, turned to face Kya. "There's something you should know", and her sudden serious expression was concerning.

"What?", Kya frowned.

"About leaving this morning, that was a lie. I was just waiting for a reaction", Izumi bit her bottom lip, while Kya looked as if someone had just insulted her mother. Then, she threw a pillow at Izumi, whose reflex was a bit faster than the object.

"You cow!", Kya seemed mad for a second, but then she wanted to laugh.

"Sometimes I can be evil", Izumi shrugged.

"Yes, I forgot you're Azula's niece after all", and now it was Izumi's turn to look insulted.

"Oh, that was below the belt even for you", Izumi narrowed her eyes, but Kya just laughed.

"Right, but seriously now. What if I didn't react?"

"I would wait", Izumi's expression became softer, now that they put the jokes aside. "Because I have a proposal to make."

Kya's eyes widened. At first, she wasn't sure if she heard it right, if Izumi really said the word 'proposal', but she did.

"What proposal?", Kya trailed off. Izumi sat on the bed and put her glasses back on, indicating that she was being dead serious.

"Look, I want you to live with me at the palace. We can't get married, at least not officially, but I can make you a Royal Counselor. This way, you would have your room, a position and be invited to join our meetings, although the latter doesn't really interest you", Izumi chucked. "So, what do you say?"

Kya was out of words for a moment. Of course she had the desire to marry Izumi and to live the rest of her life with the Fire Lord, that had always been her dream, but she didn't expect it all to become true. It was half of it, but she was pleased.

"Yes", she shook her head still in disbelief. "Of course, yes."

_Of course, yes._

* * *

The Glacier Spirits Festival.

It was the perfect night for the festivities of The Southern Water Tribe. The sky was adorned by stars and their constellations, the sound of music in the air was positively intoxicating. The tribal elders were meditating around a pond whose purpose was to reflect the moon's image.

Kya looked at the other side, where the party really was. People trying to sell all types of things, from food to stuffed animals. The children were running around with their popcorn in hand, waterbenders were performing their number and, of course, there was the Fire Lord.

Izumi was greeted by nearly the whole tribe. Everybody wanted to shake her hand, exchange a few words with her, touch her robe as if she was some kind of deity. Well, to Kya mostly, she was. It was getting harder and harder to walk with Izumi since she was surrounded by no less than sixty people now, therefore Kya decided to watch her from afar.

She saw a little girl presenting her with a sculpture made of ice and in the shape of a waning moon.

" _This looks beautiful. Thank you very much_ ", Izumi shook her hand.

Then, an ancient woman escaped from the crowd and approached Izumi, taking the Fire Lord's hand in hers. She said something to Izumi that Kya couldn't understand, all she saw was the sudden fuss the Izumi's guards were making because of the strange woman touching their sovereign without permission, but Izumi quickly waved them off, saying that it was 'alright'.

Kya was proud of her, although a bit jealous of everybody that was closer to Izumi while she was standing considerably far from her.

"It's incredible, they adore her", a male voice said. It was Tenzin.

"Well, she deserves it."

"Indeed, she did only good things to The Water Tribes", Tenzin joined Kya as the second viewer of Izumi's royal show. "By the way, I'm very happy for you two."

Kya looked up at him, shocked. "How do you know?", but Tenzin didn't have to answer, his face gave it away. "Bumi…", Kya sighed.

"But I want you to know you have my support. I want you to be happy, Kya", he placed a hand on her shoulder, which she covered with her own.

"Thank you, little brother", she smiled.

They kept watching Izumi listening to endless stories and a salesman trying to convince her to prove his fish. She shook many people's hands, smiled at many until she, eventually, got tired and started to search for Kya in the middle of the crowd. Kya waved at her, and only then Izumi was able to find her.

" _I need my bed_ ", she mouthed and Kya took that as her cue. It was time to rescue the Fire Lord.

* * *

To serve and to protect at all costs.

This moment had frightened her for days, weeks even. They agreed on dealing with it later since they had to deal with themselves and their relationship first and foremost. But now there was time and space to deal with this other issue.

Izumi's children.

The conversation happened a week ago, a few days after Akira moved out of the palace. Iroh II was the one who made several questions, like when did it all start and if the rest of the family knew. He was sad, of course, his parents' marriage was coming to an end and his mother had just confessed her feelings towards an old friend of their family, but Kya and Izumi could see he was trying very hard to be understandable and supportive.

Ursula, on the other hand, stayed quiet the whole time. She listened to all of it without saying a word. The princess didn't judge, though she didn't support them either. The only possible response they received from her was when Izumi told them Akira, somehow, already knew. Then, she frowned, but it lasted for no less than two seconds.

" _Be patient, she'll come around._ "

That's what Izumi said, squeezing Kya's hand as she noticed the look on the face of the other woman. Kya didn't really put it in these words, but she felt terrible. Ursula used to be her friend, the little girl who used to ask her to play hide and seek with her, and now she wouldn't even look at Kya. Not that she expected things to be different, the princess was very close to her father, but it hurt anyway. _She'll come around_ , she thought of Izumi's words to make her feel better. It worked, sometimes.

But with things settled or not, there she was in the throne room. As promised, Izumi was going to make her Royal Counselor, and to that end, Kya had to take an oath of allegiance to the Fire Lord and the crown. She had been waiting for this moment for months now, to finally be part of The Fire Nation, and she was nervous.

Izumi was sitting on the throne, with her rigid expression of Fire Lord, but Kya could see she was smiling with her eyes. By her side, there was her main Counselor and right-hand man, Master Hun. He was going to conduct the whole procedure, and Kya remembered he argued that Izumi had to use the fire wall for the ceremony, as it was part of their culture, but the Fire Lord dismissed it. Izumi wasn't fond of the Royal Family's overrated traditions.

"May we begin, my Lord?", Master Hun spoke.

"Yes", Izumi said.

"Kneel before the crown", he said, taking a step forward.

"Is it really necessary?", Izumi seemed bothered.

"These are the rules, my Lord."

"It's no problem", Kya smiled. And it really wasn't, it wouldn't be the first time she knelt before Izumi and certainly not the last, she thought. So, she got down on her knees as demanded.

Master Hun turned around and came back holding a black cape, one that he was also wearing, joined by a younger member of the council who was bringing a plate of silver.

"Do you swear to be loyal to the crown, to advise, serve and protect the Fire Lord, by the powers of Agni?", Master Hun said.

Here, Kya took a moment to look at Izumi, who nodded her head in support. She wanted to laugh at the irony of this ceremony, by how they denied her the right to marry Izumi, but now there she was, proclaiming vows that sounded very much wedding-ish. It was quite amusing.

"Yes."

"Now repeat after me…", Master Hun ordered.

"I, Master Kya of The Southern Water Tribe, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Fire Lord Izumi, her heirs and successors, according to law and by the powers of Agni."

Then, Izumi placed the black cape around Kya, attached a golden brooch in the shape of the crown on the top right of the cape, and it was all done. Kya was now an official and royal member of the council.

They took a photograph of her to be on the wall of the council room, along with the other members. Not only was she the only and first waterbender, but Kya was also Izumi's partner. That would be a very interesting story to tell in the future.

* * *

A very important announcement.

Kya's hand searched for Izumi's side of the bed, only to find the spot empty. She opened her eyes, slowly still, letting her vision get used to the light in the room. The curtains were open and it was early in the morning.

Izumi was sitting on the edge of the bed with a letter in her hands. She was not actually reading it, she was just staring, which was rather concerning.

"Izumi?", Kya said, still sleepy. "Is something wrong?"

Izumi said nothing in return. Kya, now even more worried, went to sit by her side. Now having a better view of the letter, she saw it was from Ursula. It had her signature anyway.

"What happened?", she insisted.

"It's Ursula…", Izumi whispered.

"Now you're scaring me", Kya said. "Is she alright?"

"She's expecting…", Izumi trailed off, now the look on her face suddenly changed to an expression of pure wonder, as if saying it out loud made her feel better. "I'm going to be a grandmother."

Kya wanted to punch her in the face, honestly. Izumi scared the hell out of her and it was good news, a baby. Kya smiled, holding Izumi tightly and whispering things like "congratulations, grandma".

She received a deadly stare from Izumi as an answer.

"Grandma…", Izumi huffed. "I'm still getting used to motherhood."

"Knock it off, you're over sixty", Kya joked and was fast enough to not be hit by the pillow Izumi threw at her.

* * *

_Nine months later_.

It was a matter of choice.

Kya looked outside through the room's window. It was a beautiful morning and from her point of view, she could see a small family of birds building their nest on the pine tree that occupied the middle of Ursula's garden.

And speaking of Ursula, Kya was also able to see her reflection on the window, comfortably sitting on the bed as she held her newborn with such care. She smiled at the sight, thinking — actually, quite sure — that Ursula was going to be the greatest mom.

Of course, their relationship changed after Akira left, but it was slowly bringing the missing pieces together. Ursula was trying and so was Kya, that's what really mattered that moment. And when she least expected, Ursula gently smiled at her, proving that they were working it out.

"Do you want to hold her?", Ursula asked, lowering her voice because the baby was sleeping.

It caught Kya completely off guard. She glanced at Izumi, who smiled at her, apparently proud of them.

"Of course", Kya said.

The baby was sleeping peacefully in her arms, looking so perfect, yet so human. She had Izumi's nose, she was beautiful and already seemed prepared to lead a nation. Although Iroh II was Izumi's heir and successor to the throne, he had no desire in having children. Therefore, Ursula's daughter was automatically his successor. In the back, she could hear Lord Zuko talking to Izumi, about how he thought that being a great-grandfather suited him nicely, and then Izumi agreeing with him.

But Kya ignored all her surroundings as she looked at the baby and was slowly absorbing her moment of peace.

They were soon interrupted by Izumi. "Being a grandmother suits you, Kya", she joked.

Kya narrowed her eyes. "I'm her aunt, you're the only grandmother here."

Ursula rolled her eyes, already one hundred percent done with her family. "Okay, enough you two. Give me her back", she said. Kya did give the baby back, but with some pouting, of course.

"Have you thought about the name?", Zuko asked.

"Yes", Ursula smiled without taking her eyes off her child. "Her name is Mai."

_The end_.

**Author's Note:**

> \- That was a good (fast) journey. Thank you to those who read it and left me a comment!


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